PAS has firmly declined any invitation from UMNO to join the current coalition government which includes DAP. The party’s spiritual leader Datuk Hashim Jasin expressed this stance, citing past difficulties in collaborating with DAP.
He recalled PAS’ previous alliance with DAP, which ended in disappointment.
“We (PAS) have tried (working) with DAP, we were once friends. I remember when former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng said he would rule like (Caliph) Umar Abdul Aziz.
“When he said that, I was driven to be friends (with Lim/DAP). I used to hug Lim, whenever we met at public functions. But his words turned out to be lies, he had other agendas,” Harakah Daily quoted Hashim as saying.
This disillusionment eventually led PAS’ syura council to sever ties with DAP. Hashim noted that the party would not revisit that decision, even with UMNO’s request.
“When we have taken this decision after knowing DAP, now UMNO wants us to be together again? I think even if we brought this matter up to the syura council, no one would back PAS working with DAP again.
“That’s why we (PAS) don’t want DAP, or Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim,” said Hashim.
Earlier this week, Utusan Malaysia reported that Hashim hinted PAS was considering the pros and cons of joining the federal government following invitations from undisclosed parties. He noted that while the matter was briefly discussed in the party’s ulama council, no final decision had been made.
Despite these considerations, PAS’ senior leadership has consistently rejected the idea of joining the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional (PH-BN) coalition government.
Last year, during PAS’ annual assembly, party president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang strongly opposed the notion, criticising the Madani administration as being filled with “prisoners, corrupt people, and a court cluster”.
Moreover, rumours of PAS possibly joining the government resurfaced in June when Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil neither confirmed nor denied the speculations.
However, PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man swiftly denied any such plans, reaffirming the party’s commitment to remaining outside the PH-BN coalition.
“I want to make an affirmative statement, PAS will not join the PH-BN government. There was no consultation, there was no discussion, internal party meeting or together with Perikatan Nasional,” he asserted. – Aug 30, 2024
